Shadow of the Bat
by THE Elvenking
Summary: Calvin and Hobbes are on vacation, and Stupendous Man's stumbled into a bad part of New York City. Crossover.


Stupendous Man: Shadow of the Bat  
  
I don't own Stupendous Man or any DC superhero. Stupendous Man is copyright Bill Waterson, and all DC heroes are copyright DC Comics.  
  
Author's Note- I'm going with my personal theory that Stupendous Man is a teenager, regardless of Calvin's age. Calvin's six, Stupendous is somewhere around 15. As long as Calvin has the cape and/or cowl on, he is Stupendous Man's age. Also, I don't buy anything Joe Kelly did with DC's heroes, so his JLA changes aren't seen. Aquaman's still there in the league, and Hippolyta's still alive, too, but you might not be seeing her in this story. Plas is just……… missing, and the JSA is pre-Virtue and Vice, so that the brownstone's still there. Also, I hate what they did to Azrael. Jean Paul's still out there. The new Supergirl (The REALLY NEW SUPERGIL) isn't there, either. Thank you.  
  
New York City, 18:00 EST  
  
"Here we are!" Calvin's father smiled, waving his hands in the polluted air. "New York City."  
  
Calvin looked around, clutching Hobbes to his side as always. "I dunno, dad………"  
  
"Come on, Calvin, it'll be loads of fun!"  
  
"Right. I have my own hotel room, right?"  
  
"Right."   
  
The family made their way to their rooms, of which Calvin had his own, blissfully separated from his parents.  
  
Calvin kicked back on the bed with a comic book. "Check it out, Hobbes! Captain Napalm #169!"  
  
"Thrilling." Hobbes sighed. "What else is there?"  
  
"There's TV." Calvin sighed. Suddenly, they heard a scream.  
  
"There's a woman being robbed there!" Calvin proclaimed. "I'll order a pizza, take it, and leave the box with a note that says I went to go swimming."   
  
"Great." Hobbes sighed.  
  
"Now, then……… STUPENDOUS MAN!" Calvin proclaimed boldly.  
  
"Oh, goody." Hobbes muttered.  
  
"Come on, Hobbes! Ever since that asteroid fell by our school, you know I gained these powers!"  
  
"Yes, but………"  
  
"But nothing. I'm going to track that guy down!"  
  
Stupendous Man then proceeded to jump out of the window, and stayed stealthily behind the criminal. He wanted to know who he was working for.  
  
Gotham City, 21:46 EST  
  
Stupendous Man had been tracking the criminal all the way to this city. Somewhere in the slums of the city, from the appearance of it. But he didn't have time to ask questions. He had a criminal to catch.  
  
He crouched on a rooftop, watching through night-vision binoculars at the penthouse where Moe was making some sort of deal. Suddenly, a dark, raspy voice came into Stupendous Man's ears.   
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"What the-?" Stupendous Man asked, jumping backwards.  
  
"This is no time for games." Said a dark figure. "There's a criminal in that building, and he has to be brought to justice."  
  
The figure shot out a rope onto the edge of a building, then jumped. "Try to keep up." He said, crashing through a window.  
  
"Batsy!" A very odd voice came from inside. Stupendous Man flew over, cautiously. "Really, Bats, you misjudge me. Did you really think I wasn't prepared?"  
  
Stupendous Man could see the figure clearly now. Bright red lips, white skin, purple suit, green hair……… white skin?!?  
  
"Fine." The pale figure said. "I can take a hint. I guess it's time for me to go."  
  
Suddenly, the dark figure tackled the pale man, and they had a large battle. Stupendous Man took this as his cue, and grabbed Moe with such force that they flew out of the window.   
  
"Okay, okay! I give up!" Moe squealed. "Just please……… don't drop me!"  
  
Stupendous Man dropped some sand on Moe, then used his heat vision to turn it into glass. Moe was bound. The dark figure had handled his foe, and was gone. Stupendous Man flew outside, only to hear a person above.  
  
Stupendous Man flew to the top of the building. "Oh, great." The figure moaned. "Just what Gotham needs. Another teenage vigilante."  
  
"Who are you?" Stupendous Man asked back.  
  
"Jean Paul. You can call me Azrael, though."  
  
"Okay……… who was that?"  
  
"What? You don't recognize the Batman when you see him?"  
  
"It's the middle of the night!"  
  
"Point taken."  
  
"So what's up with you?"  
  
"I'm a member of the Batman family."  
  
"Batman……… family?"  
  
"Sure. Batman, Robin, Nightwing, Huntress, Batgirl, Oracle, Spoiler, myself, sometimes Catwoman, sometimes some help from Black Canary. I'm thinking that might have been your initiation into the Batman family."  
  
"Should I be making a speech or something?"  
  
"No time……… there's a mugging down there. You want to take it?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
Stupendous Man jumped down onto one of the gangsters. "Greetings." He smiled.   
  
"What the hell? Another kid?" The gangster asked.  
  
"Tsk, tsk, such language."  
  
"Get him!" Screamed another gangster, and they began emptying their guns onto Stupendous Man.   
  
"That tickles." Stupendous Man smiled.  
  
"Damn!" One of the gangsters screamed. "It's Superboy!"  
  
"Thanks for the compliment. I don't want to keep you up, though, not at this time of the night." Stupendous Man smiled. Stupendous then proceeded to knock out all of the gangsters, then attempted to vanish. He thought he did a pretty good job.  
  
"Boo." Came a much lighter voice than that of Batman's from behind Stupendous Man, who turned around.   
  
"You're getting pretty good at that. How long have you been doing that?"  
  
"A few years……… are you supposed to be Robin?"  
  
"I am Robin."  
  
"My mistake."  
  
"Whatever." Robin sighed, vanishing into the shadows.  
  
"Don't take it personally." Azrael said, appearing from behind a smokestack. "Batman and Robin are the hardest nuts to crack. Come on, I'll take you to see Oracle. Maybe Nightwing's there, too. If Bludhaven's not too busy, that is."  
  
Azrael jumped his way over, being followed by a swiftly tiring Stupendous Man. Finally, they wound up in Oracle's lair.   
  
"Babs, I've got another kid for you to babysit!" Azrael shouted as he opened the door.  
  
"Azrael? Who is that?" Nightwing asked.  
  
"Honestly, I don't know." Azrael responded, feeling more than a little stupid.  
  
"I'm Stupendous Man." Stupendous Man responded.  
  
"All right then, Stupendous Man, let's see………" Oracle said, turning away from her computer. "The computer's uploading your data. Just call if you need help."  
  
"Okay." Stupendous Man smiled. "So I'm in?"  
  
"No, not quite. We have to bring you to the Bat." Nightwing sighed. "I'll take you there."  
  
"Gotcha." Stupendous Man smiled.   
  
Nightwing opened the door, then turned around. "Coming?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah." Stupendous Man smiled, running after him.  
  
The two jumped into one of Nightwing's motorcycles, and were at the Wayne Mansion in moments.  
  
"Hello, Master Dick." Alfred Pennyworth smiled. "I take it you wish to see Bruce?"  
  
"I have a guest." Nightwing replied. "I'm not sure how Bruce will take a liking to him, even if he does."  
  
"All right." Alfred smiled.   
  
"He took in Stephanie just like that, how hard can it be?" Tim Drake smiled as he walked by.   
  
"Hush, hush." Nightwing demanded in a calm manner. "You're the one wearing tights."  
  
"Anyway………" Alfred sighed, "This way………"  
  
"Calvin, or Stupendous Man." Stupendous Man smiled, removing his hood.  
  
"All right……… this way, Master Calvin."  
  
Alfred led Calvin to a grandfather clock, which he pushed aside, and down into a cave. Bats fluttered around the two as they walked down some stone steps. Suddenly, they saw a dark figure sitting in front of a massive supercomputer.  
  
"Calvin." Batman sighed.  
  
Meanwhile………  
  
"What do you mean he got away?" Demanded a shadowed figure.  
  
"Please, sir, Stupendous Man attacked us! We had no choice but to retreat!" One of the gangsters mentioned before protested.  
  
"SILENCE!" screamed the shadowed figure. "I've rebuilt the Injustice Society back to greatness. It took a lot of money to bail the Joker out. I'm not going to be stopped by incompetence!"  
  
"But, sir………"  
  
The shadowed figure stood up to reveal himself as one of the most feared foes of the Bat- Ra's Al Ghul, the demon's head. "The detective barely saved the Justice League, how can he expect to save himself?"  
  
"But, sir, you had plans for that-"  
  
"Enough!" screamed a female voice. "You will not argue with my father!"  
  
"Talia." Al Ghul snarled. "Since when did the new leader of LexCorp need to sneak into my humble abode?"  
  
"Now is not the time, father." Talia replied.  
  
Batcave, 1:00 EST  
  
"Pity." Batman sighed. "I hoped that there would have been some training involved."  
  
Robin and Calvin were sparring in an empty area of the Batcave, and Calvin was actually managing to hold his own, much to the delight of Nightwing.   
  
Calvin, you see, had the advantage of flight. When he started tiring, he could rest in the air. Timothy Drake was no Richard Grayson when it came to acrobatics, so Calvin was safe. Suddenly, a loud buzzing noise filled the cave.  
  
"Great." Batman sighed, turning around in his chair. A picture of Superman came on.  
  
"Bruce? Bruce!" Superman screamed. "We've got……… something invading. We're not sure who, we just know they're attacking. Probably from War World, if I get a say in it."  
  
"Great." Batman sighed. "All right, I'm on my merry little way."  
  
"Bring whoever is on hand."  
  
Batman took a deep breath. "Dick, Tim, Calvin, come with me."  
  
"World-threatening crisis, Bruce?" Nightwing inquired.  
  
"Would I want any help if it wasn't?"  
  
"Good point, Bruce."  
  
Nightwing, Robin, Batman, and Stupendous Man all walked over to the Batcave teleporter. A moment later, they were on the moon.  
  
"Ugh." Calvin sighed, feeling quite woozy.   
  
"First time teleport." Batman sighed. He took his place at the table. Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Lantern, Flash, Superman, and Martian Manhunter were all there. Wonder Woman had Troia and Wonder Girl with her, and Flash brought Impulse and Superboy. Superman began briefing them on the situation. Suddenly, the group teleporter ran, and the entire Justice Society of America was upon them.  
  
"Oracle called." Sentinel explained himself. "Invaders from War World, right?"  
  
"Correct." Superman stated. "Obviously, this requires the full effort of both teams."  
  
"Understood." Dr. Fate stated. "I will cast a magical aura around those of us who cannot breath in outer space. Lead the way, Superman."  
  
Superman opened one of the watchtower doors, and the group flew or were carried into the invasion.  
  
"Superman, Wonder Woman, Power Girl, Sand, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Johnny and Jakeem, Aquaman, Captain Marvel, Hourman, Stupendous Man, Atom-Smasher, Black Adam, and both Flashes, you will be our muscle. Batman, Mr. Terrific, and Mid-nite, you will be our brains section. Wildcat, sit back. As for the rest of us, we will me the mystical arm of the assault. Guests, fight with who you came with." Sentinel directed.  
  
"Understood." Superman smiled, and the groups separated. Mid-nite directed the mystical arm, Terrific the muscle, and Batman oversaw the two, with Robin and Nightwing watched. Robin and Batman were not at all thrilled that Stupendous Man was being treated as a full member when he had yet to prove himself. Nightwing was proud.  
  
Stupendous Man and Captain Marvel worked as a team as the muscle group paired up. Hourman took the directions and communicated with the brains, while Aquaman transmitted them. Although Aquaman's mechanical hand could have let him join in, he was pulled aside for rallying purposes. How typical when he wasn't out of the ocean.  
  
However, Stupendous Man and Captain Marvel managed to take down seven of the invading ships, and they traded tips. Stupendous Man learned how to better hold himself in the world of fighters, Captain Marvel learned how, as Billy Batson, he could be a little less uptight.  
  
When the invasion had been said and done, the two noticed that it was 6 A.M. Most of the members of the Justice League, as well as some of the Justice Society, retreated to their civilian lives. Only a few remained. Even Batman left.  
  
Calvin jumped into the window at 6:16, barely making it in time to get enough sleep. Being a superhero with enhanced speed, he was able to get just enough sleep.  
  
Calvin's parents wanted to go shopping, but agreed that Calvin would be a pain, so they let Calvin and Hobbes stay at the hotel. The two spent time talking about the Justice League and the Justice Society until they saw on TV that a new Injustice League had attacked the Justice League while they were at a rally for the government. The Justice Society had been attacked by a new Injustice Society as well, and Young Justice and Teen Titans were both in a battle with some unknown evil.  
  
Suddenly, Calvin was out the window in his Stupendous Man garb, headed for downtown New York, where the League was attacked.  
  
Stupendous Man understood that, since both the Justice League and Justice Society were both in New York at the current moment, it would be up to one to liberate the others. However, Stupendous Man chose to attack the Injustice League first.  
  
Stupendous Man arrived by tackling a somehow-able Prometheus, despite all the injuries he'd taken. Superman had the Queen Bee situation under control, and Green Lantern was enjoying the residues of his Ion powers on the General, who was fatigued having escaped the Phantom Zone with the full extent of his powers and help from Al Ghul, getting help from the Flash. Suddenly, a new problem arose.  
  
Amazo suddenly rose upon the scene with the Joker. Every League member, Batman included, took shock at this, even as Superman and Green Lantern finished their foes off. Stupendous Man simply tackled the Joker, and, with some help from the Flash and Aquaman, stopped the Joker. Amazo, however, was proving to be quite the problem.  
  
Amazo had Wonder Woman, Superman, Green Lantern, Batman, and the Martian Manhunter more than occupied. Unfortunately, even with Flash and Aquaman jumping into the battle, the League was still outdone.  
  
Professor Ivo, however, had somewhat depowered this Amazo. This one, unlike the last incarnation that the league battled, did not have the ability to gain more powers. Stupendous Man tackled him, but still had a problem with the superstrength and superspeed abilities. Superman used his heat vision without restraint, understanding the scale and that Amazo was a robot, and brought Amazo down to his knees. The Flash used his superspeed to remove Amazo's robotic brain.  
  
The League bumped into Young Justice and Teen Titans just as they were headed down to the Justice Society's headquarters. The Justice Society, however, had already won.  
  
Stupendous Man flew back again. This time, Hobbes was incredibly anxious.   
  
"I want to go with you." Hobbes sighed, frustrated. "Your parents know that you wouldn't go anywhere without me."  
  
"Even still, you don't have any powers-"  
  
"Wildcat doesn't have any powers."  
  
"Fine." Calvin sighed. "I'll take you to Wildcat tomorrow. Maybe he'll teach you something."  
  
"A man clad in spandex is hardly a match for a tiger, and I too have nine lives."  
  
"Maybe you do have a chance."  
  
"You see it my way, then?"  
  
"Fine. Fine. We'll drop in on the JSA."  
  
"Okay. Goodnight."  
  
The next morning, Calvin's parents also left to go shopping. New York was a big place, and they didn't want Calvin running amuck there, anyway.   
  
Calvin nudged Hobbes. "All right. They're gone."  
  
Hobbes rubbed some sleep from his eye. "All right."  
  
Calvin changed into his Stupendous Man garb, and carried Hobbes into downtown Manhattan. They landed in front of the JSA brownstone, where Calvin knocked on the door.   
  
Alex Montez, the JSA museum's curator, opened the doors. "Greetings, Calvin. You and your friend can come in."  
  
As the doors were opened, Calvin and Hobbes watched as the Star Spangled Kid strolled by, looking for something. Calvin went into the section devoted to Wildcat.   
  
"Calvert, right?" Wildcat looked up from his current beer.  
  
"Calvin." Stupendous Man sighed, taking off his hood.  
  
"Whatever."   
  
"Look, Ted……… Mr. Grant……… Ted, Hobbes here wants to become a costumed superhero."  
  
"A third Wildcat?" Ted Grant sighed, fixing his hood. "All right, tiger, let's go."  
  
Hobbes jumped into the training ring much faster than the half-drunk fighter. Calvin walked out, fixing his hood.  
  
"That's not necessary." Hawkman sighed as he walked behind Calvin.  
  
"Why not?" Calvin asked, only to turn and see that Hawkman did not have his helmet on, leaving instead the face of Carter Hall. "I see." Calvin smiled, pulling his hood off.  
  
Calvin, however, put his hood back on the second he reached the door, and flew off towards Gotham.  
  
As he landed, Calvin noticed that it was always a wee bit too dark in Gotham. Regardless, he landed on a rooftop and began looking for signs of any members of the Bat Family.  
  
Suddenly, he heard the voice of Batman. "You're back?" Calvin jumped, nearly falling off of the building.  
  
"You're either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid." Batman growled.   
  
"Look, I helped out with the whole War World thing yesterday, what more does it take to earn your……… respect?" Calvin ended, realizing Batman had vanished. He hated it when that happened.  
  
Stupendous Man looked around, seeing the clock tower. He flew over, then climbed the stairs up to Oracle's lair.  
  
"Oracle." Stupendous Man sighed, plopping down on the couch. "What's it take to earn Batman's respect?"  
  
"Honestly?" Barbara Gordon asked, wheeling out of her kitchen.  
  
"Honestly." Calvin sighed, rubbing his left hand through his hair.  
  
"I don't know. I've been crippled in the line of duty and weathered the entire No Man's Land crisis, and I still don't think he respects me."  
  
"Thank you so much for the encouragement."  
  
"Look, you should try going to Bludhaven sometime. Dick seems to respect you, if nobody else."  
  
Calvin smiled as he fixed his hood back on. "No thanks. I think I know just where to go." 


End file.
